The Global Tobacco Epidemic is Far from Over

Published August 20, 2012

The global tobacco epidemic is far from being over. A recent study published in the Lancet suggests that the number of tobacco users remains very high in many parts of the world, particularly low and middle income countries. Over 60% of Russian men and over 28% of Bangladeshi women use tobacco. No wonder tobacco stocks are doing so well during these tough economic times.

While we have seen the passage of some public health policies, clearly much more needs to be done. All of these countries, which are Parties to the tobacco control treaty, the FCTC, must increase the allocation of resources needed to adequately implement and enforce the measures in the treaty. They can do this by working with development partners and by implementing fiscal policies that will decrease tobacco consumption and generate new revenues for health.

All branches of government must cooperate with each other in order to reverse these embarrassingly high rates of tobacco use. If they don’t, we will be judged as the global generation that allowed a billion totally preventable deaths to take place this century.